Fisherman In Trouble After Catching 347.8kg Bull Shark in Fujairah

UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment launched an investigation on fisherman Eid Suleiman, after catching a bull shark on Fujairah’s coast.

347.8kg bull shark caught in Fujairah

On 16th February last year, Eid Suleiman managed to catch a female bull shark while fishing in Fujairah. It took more than two hours to get hold of the shark and bring it to shore. The 347.8kg shark weighed more than the typical weight of its species, around 300 kgs. 15 embryos were discovered in its womb.

Photograph credit: Twitter

Fisherman Eid Suleiman in trouble due to bull shark fishing ban

Every year, the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment places a ban on fishing bull sharks from 1st February-30th June. This period is their breeding season and the species are relatively common around the UAE coast. The Ministry launched an investigation on Suleiman after learning about his catch.

Confusion over fishing legality

Eid Suleiman’s incident is surrounded by multiple legality issues. According to The National, the 50-year-old fisherman approached the Fishermen Association in Fujairah before his catch and he was allowed to go after it. What’s more, a change in last year’s ban duration saw the revised dates reduced by a month, meaning the ban takes effect from 1st March.